RICHARDS, Hugh Archibald (1886-1944), son of Archibald Richards, an Ottawa contractor, was born in Ottawa on 1 February 1886 and educated at the Ottawa High School. He articled with Moses C. Edey (in 1902-05), then worked as a draftsman for Band, Burritt & Meredith (in 1905-07) and for C.P. Meredith (in 1907-08). It was in Meredith's office that he first met his future business partner William J. Abra. Richards moved to Montreal and after graduating from the Dept. of Architecture at McGill University in 1912 he worked for Ross & MacDonald for a brief period before returning to Ottawa in January 1913 and formed a partnership there with Allan Keefer and W.J. Abra. The association of Keefer, Richards & Abra was brief; by May 1913 Richards & Abra had opened a new office, one which was to remain active for the next thirty years. Their firm specialized in educational buildings, and they were credited with the design of more than fifty schools throughout eastern Ontario. Richards died in Ottawa on 6 May 1944 (obit. Ottawa Citizen, 8 May 1944, 6; Ottawa Journal, 8 May 1944, 6; R.A.I.C. Journal, xxi, June 1944, 137-8; biog. Ottawa Journal, 18 Oct. 1913, 11; inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects)
RICHARDS & ABRA (works in Ottawa)
BRONSON AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH, 1914 (Ottawa Journal, 16 Jan. 1914, 1, illus.)
THIRD AVENUE, apartments for George Rupert, 1914 (C.R., xxviii, 8 July 1914, 80-1)
WESTBORO, Ottawa West, public school, Euclid Avenue, 1915 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 28 April 1915, 15, t..c.)
WESTBORO, Ottawa West, public school, Broadway Avenue, 1916 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 6 April 1916, 11, t.c.)
(with C.P. Meredith) NORLITE BUILDING, Wellington Street near O'Connor Street, c. 1916 (Const., xi, May 1918, 142-4, illus. & descrip.; Andrew Waldron, Exploring the Capital: An Architectural Guide to the Ottawa-Gatineau Region, 2017, 11, illus. & descrip.)
BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA BRANCH, within the Canada Life Assurance Building, Sparks Street, 1918-19 (Ottawa Journal, 27 Aug. 1919, 2, descrip.)
DOMINION LOOSE LEAF CO., Metcalfe Street at Isabella Street, factory, 1920 (C.R., xxxiv, 31 March 1920, 61, t.c.)
HARMER AVENUE, residence for Wlliam W. Johnston, 1920 (dwgs. at Ottawa City Archives, RG1, Ottawa Housing Commission Papers)
FRENCH BAPTIST CHURCH, King Edward Avenue at Clarence Street, 1919-20 (Canadian Baptist [Toronto], 8 April 1920, 2, illus. & descrip. )
RANGE ROAD, residence for Norman Smith, 1922 (C.R., xxxvi, 24 May 1922, 60)
NEPEAN TOWNSHIP, public school for S.S. No. 16, Merivale Road at Coldrey Avenue, 1922 (Ottawa Journal, 6 June 1922, 1, descrip.)
NEPEAN HIGH SCHOOL, Broadway Avenue, Westboro, 1922 (C.R., xxxvi, 28 June 1922, 93)
OTTAWA AUDITORIUM ARENA, O'Connor Street at Argyle Avenue, 1923, with Concert Hall beside the Auditorium Arena, 1923-24 (Ottawa Journal, 14 Feb. 1923, 2, descrip.; and 3 April 1923, 1 & 2, descrip.; and 4 August 1923, 5, descrip.; and 18 Aug. 1923, 16 & 17, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xxxvii, 25 April 1923, 380-1, illus. & descrip.; Const., xvi, April 1923, 152-4, illus. & descrip.; Ottawa Evening Citizen, 24 Jan. 1924, 1, descrip.)
EASTVIEW BAPTIST CHURCH, Olmstead Street, 1924 (Ottawa Evening Citizen, 3 March 1924, 9, descrip.; Ottawa Journal, 25 July 1924, 3)
CHRISTIAN & MISSIONARY ALLIANCE TABERNACLE, Bank Street at Rosebery Avenue, 1924-25 (Ottawa Evening Citizen, 29 Aug. 1924, 3, descrip.; and 13 Feb. 1925, 12, illus. & descrip.; Ottawa Journal, 30 Aug. 1924, 4 & 5, illus. & descrip.; and 13 Oct. 1924, 4, descrip.; C.R., xxxviii, 26 Nov. 1924, 1174, illus. & descrip.)
WESTBORO MASONIC TEMPLE, Main Street, at the intersection of the Britannia street car line tracks, 1924 (Ottawa Evening Citizen, 29 Nov. 1924, 23, descrip.; Ottawa Journal, 2 Dec. 1924, 2, descrip.; and 15 Dec. 1924, 18, descrip.)
LANSDOWNE PARK, Pure Food Exhibition Building, 1926 (Ottawa Journal, 8 Feb. 1926, 2; C.R., xl, 17 Feb. 1926, 52)
LANSDOWNE PARK, major addition to Howick Hall, 1926, but commission later given to Millson & Burgess (Ottawa Evening Citizen, 12 Feb. 1926, 5)
AUTO SHOWROOM, Albert Street, between Kent Street and Bank Street, for the Bryson Estate, 1926 (Ottawa Journal, 12 March 1926, 1 & 18, illus. & descrip.; Ottawa Evening Citizen, 12 March 1926, 1, illus. & descrip.)
BROADWAY AVENUE PUBLIC SCHOOL, at Highland Park, 1927 (Ottawa Journal, 18 Jan. 1927, 16; and 15 Feb. 1927, 17, t.c.; and 8 March 1927, 2 and 7, illus. & descrip.)
McKELLAR GOLF CLUB HOUSE, Windermere Avenue near Byron Avenue, 1927 (Ottawa Journal, 24 March 1927, 16, illus. & descrip.)
BY WARD MARKET BUILDING, George Street at William Street, to replace the market building destroyed by fire, 1927 (Ottawa Journal, 10 March 1927, 2, descrip.; C.R., xli, 27 April 1927, 53, t.c.; and xlii, 23 May 1928, 521-2, illus. & descrip.; Andrew Waldron, Exploring the Capital: An Architectural Guide to the Ottawa-Gatineau Region, 2017, 48-51, illus. & descrip.)
WESTBORO PUBLIC SCHOOL, Euclid Avenue, 1927 (C.R., xli, 6 April 1927, 340, illus. & descrip.)
OTTAWA TRANSPORTATION CO., Echo Drive at Harvey Street, 1927 (C.R., xli, 19 Oct. 1927, 50, t.c.)
ISLAND PARK DRIVEWAY, near the Ottawa Electric Railway tracks, residence for Robert Gamble, 1929 (Ottawa Journal, 28 March 1929, 12)
ISLAND PARK DRIVEWAY, near the Ottawa Electric Railway tracks, residence for F.T.C. Gamble, 1929 (Ottawa Journal, 28 March 1929, 12)
ISLAND PARK DRIVEWAY, near the Ottawa Electric Railway tracks, residence for Reuben Shaver, 1929 (Ottawa Journal, 28 March 1929, 12)
HUGH CARSON & CO LTD., Albert Street, major addition to factory and warehouse, 1929 (Ottawa Journal, 28 March 1929, 15, descrip.)
WESTBORO, [Ottawa West], Westminster Presbyterian Church, River Street, 1931-32 (Ottawa Daily Citizen, 12 Nov. 1931, 25)
MERIVALE ROAD, rebuilding public school for the Nepean School Board, 1933 (C.R., xlii, 8 Feb. 1933, 34)
BRYSON-GRAHAM DEPARTMENT STORE, addition of a new restaurant and drug store inside the existing store, Sparks Street at O'Connor Street, 1933 (Ottawa Journal, 31 May 1933, 10, descrip.)
DUNCANNON APARTMENTS, Metcalfe Street at Cooper Street, for G. Gerald Preston, 1934 (Ottawa Journal, 9 March 1934, 1 & 9, descrip.; C.R., xlviii, 14 March 1934, 33-34, t.c.)
ALEXANDRA HOTEL, Bank Street at MacLaren Street, addition for The Grill Room & Restaurant, with new cut stone facade, 1934; demol. 1979 (Ottawa Journal, 21 Dec. 1934, 19, illus. & descrip.)
MAYFAIR APARTMENTS, Metcalfe Street at MacLaren Street, 1936 (Ottawa Journal, 9 Sept. 1936, 11, illus. & descrip.)
HUTCHINGS & PATRICK LTD., Champagne Avenue, printing plant, 1936-37 (Ottawa Journal, 30 Nov. 1936, 13)
PLAZA HOTEL, Sparks Street near Bank Street, new facade and extensive interior renovations, 1938 (Ottawa Journal, 29 April 1938, 22-23, illus. & descrip.)
METCALFE STREET, at McLeod Street, a three storey brick apartment block, n.w. corner, for Appus Realty Co., 1939 (Ottawa Journal, 5 June 1939, 13)
INSURANCE EXCHANGE BUILDING, Queen Street near Bank Street, an extensive renovation of, and additions to, the old Family Theatre, with new facade, 1940 (Ottawa Journal, 17 Aug. 1940, 18, descrip.)
RICHARDS & ABRA (works elsewhere in Ontario & Quebec)
ARNPRIOR, ONT., a movie theatre, 1919, designed by W.J. Abra (Montreal Daily Star, 22 May 1919, 13)
OTTER LAKE, QUE., French Baptist Church, 1920 (Canadian Baptist [Toronto], 2 Sept. 1920, 9; and 7 July 1921, 7, illus. & descrip.)
PERTH, ONT., conversion of a mansion owned by Hon. John A. Stewart, for the Great War Memorial Hospital, Drummond Street, 1923 (list of works on P.Q.A.A. Application Form for H.A. Richards dated 5 Nov. 1941)
ARNPRIOR, ONT., club house for the Arnprior Golf Club, Mountain Street, in the Village of Sand Point, 1924; demol. 1972 (Arnprior Golf Club, Board of Directors Meeting, Minute Book 27 Feb. 1924; inf. Glenn Buder, Arnprior)
ARNPRIOR, ONT., public school, 1925 (C.R., xxxix, 22 April 1925, 50, t.c.)
MORRISBURG, ONT., High School, Ottawa Street at Alice Street, 1925-26; still standing as of 2017, and now The South Dundas Township Municipal Offices (Gazette [Montreal], 29 June 1925, 5, t.c.; inf. Scott Edwards)
PERTH, ONT., St. John's Roman Catholic School, 1926 (C.R., xl, 14 April 1926, 368)
RENFREW, ONT., Victoria Hospital, 1926 (Ottawa Journal, 12 April 1926, 4; C.R., xl, 18 Aug. 1926, 49, t.c.)
ARNPRIOR, ONT., St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Daniel Street North at McGonigal Street East, 1927-28 (Daily Journal of Commerce [Toronto], 27 Sept. 1927, 1, illus.; Ottawa Journal, 24 Nov. 1927, 5)
WINCHESTER, ONT., public school, 1928 (Ottawa Journal, 7 April 1928, 32, t.c.; and 8 Dec. 1928, 5, illus. & descrip.)
ARNPRIOR, ONT., hotel on John Street for J.R. Byrne, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 9 May 1928, 53)
PRESCOTT, ONT., parish hall and private chapel for St. John's Anglican Church, 1929 (Ottawa Journal, 8 March 1929, 12, descrip.; and 9 March 1929, 6, illus. & descrip.; Weekly Advance (Kemptville), 14 March 1929, 3, descrip.; and 6 June 1929, 2, descrip.; 75th Anniversary of St. John's Church 1860-1935, 20, illus.)
SPENCERVILLE, ONT., major addition to residence for Martin Connell, 1929 (inf. Stephen A. Otto, Toronto)
HULL, QUE., Chez Henri Hotel, Main Street at Aubry Street, for Henri Berger, 1929 (Ottawa Journal, 17 Oct. 1928, 18; and 15 Jan. 1929, 11, descrip.; and 11 Oct. 1929, 22, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xliii, 24 April 1929, 67; Canadian Hotel Review, viii, Jan. 1930, 13-16, illus. & descrip.; Andrew Waldron, Exploring the Capital: An Architectural Guide to the Ottawa-Gatineau Region, 2017, 192-3, illus. & descrip.)
PRESCOTT, ONT. movie theater with a block of five stores, 1929 (Ottawa Journal, 14 March 1929, 19)
ALMONTE, ONT., High School, 1931 (Ottawa Journal, 1 June 1931, 22)
RENFREW, ONT., major addition to Roman Catholic High School, 1931 (Ottawa Journal, 8 July 1931, 2, descrip.)
RENFREW, ONT., abattoir on Hall Street, 1932 (C.R., xlvi, 13 Jan. 1932, 48)
CAMPBELL'S BAY, QUE., Moyle's Hotel, for Peter B. Moyle, 1932-33 (Ottawa Journal, 16 March 1933, 11, descrip.)
BERTHIERVILLE, QUE., Dominion Public Building, 1934 (Ottawa Journal, 13 Aug. 1934, 7)
BOISSEVAIN, MAN., Dominion Public Building, 1934 (Ottawa Journal, 13 Aug. 1934, 7)
KILLALOE, ONT., Roman Catholic Separate School, 1936 (Ottawa Journal, 25 March 1936, 12)
ARNPRIOR, ONT., major addition to the High School, 1938-39 (Ottawa Journal, 11 April 1938, 14; R.A.I.C. Journal, xxii, Aug. 1945, 162, illus.)
PERTH, ONT., The Danner Pavilion, a major addition to Perth War Memorial Hospital, 1938 (Ottawa Journal, 23 April 1938, 29, descrip.; and 4 Jan. 1939, 15, descrip.)
HULL, QUE., major addition to munitions plant for the Hull Iron & Steel Foundries Ltd., Montcalm Street, 1941-42 (C.R., liv, 31 Dec. 1941, 67)
COBDEN, ONT., High School, c. 1941 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xix, June 1942, 137, illus.)